What Is This Global Warming You Speak Of?

There's Snow ...... on the ground here in Harrisburg and elsewhere in our fair Commonwealth this morning.
And that, of course, can mean only one thing: Session will probably be canceled today, or at least put off for a while to give members a chance to hitch up their dogsleds and make the journey into the Capital City.Speaking of which ...... remember how we told you on Friday that the House had pulled the plug on the post-Thanksgiving/Deer Hunting Season session week starting on Monday, Nov. 27? Well, just like when you had snow days in high school, the House will be making those days up. But you may not like what you hear when we tell you how they're doing it. Late Friday, House D's let us know that they've added a week's worth of session starting Monday, Dec. 17. One of the fatalists in the office was predicting last week that we'd be here until Christmas. We just laughed.Now we're starting to believe him.

The rest of today's news starts after the jump.

Keep Your Receipts.House Democrats have been paying $25,000 a month to a risk-management consultant
named William G. Chadwick. But if you want to see what kind of advice he's been giving them, you may come away disappointed.That's because Chadwick doesn't write anything down, but apparently passes along his sage words via "ongoing discussions" with House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, the Bucks County Courier-Times reports this morning."There are no documents, and I don't know that there will be any," DeWeese spokseguy Tom Andrews told the BCT's Kori Walter, who asked to review any reports, documents or written findings that Chadwick has produced since he went on the payroll in March. "He reviews policies," Andrews added.“He
reviews conduct. He reviews things that are done. ... I've been told
there's no written report and no written findings.”Meanwhile ...... House Democratic aide and York City Council PresidentCameron Texter finds himself under the microscope in the pages of the Chambersburg Public Opinion this morning. Why?Records show Texter spent 25 days on the road doing campaign work for the House D's last year. The House was in session for six of those days, the Public Opinion's Rick Fellinger reports. Texter
said he used paid leave days, such as vacation or personal days, for
every day he traveled. He never left the state payroll, according to
state records. "And if I have a leave slip in I can use my own time," Texter said. Staffers
in the House Chief Clerk's Office and House Majority Leader's Office
would not confirm that Texter used leave days, saying the information
is not public. Spokesguy Tom Andrews cited a 1978 law requiring that certain personnel information
be kept private, the P-O reported.We will pause here to note that there's nothing wrong or illegal about using personal time for campaigning or anything else for that matter. But this oughta give you some indication of the scrutiny that staffers now find themselves under.

Ka-Ching!Executives tied to a proposed Lawrence County harness-racing track have
donated more than
$320,000 since 2000 to candidates for state offices
and to political action committees, the Tribune-Review reports.Most of the money went to leading Democrats, with Gov. Ed getting $96,000 for his campaigns.The Phila. Future Political Action
Committee, controlled by Rendell's former chief of staff when he was
mayor of Philadelphia, received $115,000.That's chump change, though, compared to the possible payoff for Valley View
Downs. Indiana-based Centaur Gaming, which would own the facility near
New Castle, expects a casino with 3,000 slot machines would bring in
$362.9 million a year."The stakes are high, and the politicians know that," said Joseph
DiSarro, chairman of the political science department at Washington
& Jefferson College. And the odds are better than you'll ever get at a casino, too ...For Those Of You ...... who keep track of such things, Rendell administrationBudget Hobbit Mike Masch was
inducted into the National Academy of Public Administration during a ceremony in Washington, D.C. last week.According to the press release we got, Masch "joins a select group that counts the country's top policy makers, public administrators, scholars, business executives," and others who tend to speak in dense, impenetrable, sometimes well-nigh incomprehensible terms about the important issues facing this great land of ours."I am honored to be part of this distinguished body," Masch said in a speech that was supposed to run just a few minutes, but only finally concluded as cleaning crews were turning off the lights and packing away the last of the buffet. "I believe that public service is a noble profession and the members of this organization clearly share that belief. The academy's goal of making government work better for those it serves is one in which I very much look forward to contributing."Gov. Ed's Southeastern Allies ...... are looking westward for a potential replacement in 2010. And yes, we're looking at you, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato. Sunday's Philadelphia Inquirer details the years-long grooming process that Onorato's been going through. And, as is his custom, Onorato will be throwing yet another fund-raiser at next month's Pennsylvania Society festivities in Manhattan. This year's intimate little fete will be held on Friday, Dec. 7 from 6-8 p.m. in the Conrad Salon at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Look for us. We'll be the ones serving the shrimp cocktail from little silver trays.

Helping You Plan Your Monday.Various and sundry lawmakers gather in the Capitol rotunda at 10 a.m. this morning. There, adding to the vaguely apocalyptic air already surrounding this young day, they'll discuss the sub-prime mortgage crisis and how to regulate mortgage brokers.

EdWatch (TM):Monday finds Gov. Ed in scenic Homestead, Allegheny County. At 11 a.m., he's slated to announce "investment" in three county communities. Bring your mukluks.Gratuitous Self-Promotion Dept.We'd like to thank our five dedicated readers who have helped make us the 10th most influential political 'blog in Pennsylvania. The list is compiled by the folks at BlogNet News. And we have no idea how it works or what it's based on. But thanks nonetheless.

In The Blogosphere.Keystone Politics on the state trying to cut itself in on a little of that eBay action; GrassrootsPA on the cost of the Legislature; Young Philly Politics has more on the changes at the Philly P.D.; Tony Phyrillas on taxes in Berks County; Two Political Junkies have just noticed something; Perry Christopher notes that kiddie singer (and former Del Fuegos leader) Dan Zanes has a new 'blog; Gort passes along the news that newbie state Rep. Karen Boback appears to have a challenger for next year; Bernie O'Hare keeps the spotlight on mass transit; PSoTD wants to know where you'll be on Thanksgiving; Suburban Guerrilla looks for a little perspective; PaWatercooler hollers, "STAMPEDE!!!"; Above Average Jane on Gov. Ed going before the Judiciary Committee tomorrow; A Daily Kos contributor decides to abandon Chris Dodd; Red State rides the bus with John McCain; Wonkette has your daily dose of gossip; DCist gives us a grin; Andrew Sullivan on losing the Turks; Powerline says patriotism isn't dead in the public schools; Jay Rosen on beat 'blogging, and Greg Kot has a few thoughts on indie chanteuse Feist.On The Capitol Ideas iPod This Morning.We're feeling a little more willfully obscure than usual this morning. So we're reaching deep into the memory banks for this week's round of musical selections. Getting things started, it's the woefully underappreciated Lloyd Cole with "She's A Girl and I'm A Man."

Monday's Gratuitous Soccer Link.Israel bested Team Russia2-1 during this weekend's round of Euro 2008 qualifiers. And somewhere, England boss Steve McLaren is breathing a sigh of relief. The Israelis needed to win Saturday for the Three Lions to keep their European hopes alive. McLaren's men face Croatia on Wednesday, giving them another chance to choke.